Tata Steel Masters and Challengers: Vidit Gujrathi in joint lead

Vidit, Rapport and Mamedyarov have 3.5 points and enjoy a half-point lead over Magnus Carlsen and Andrey Esipenko.

File Photo: Vidit (in picture), Rapport and Mamedyarov have 3.5 points and enjoy a half-point lead over Magnus Carlsen and Andrey Esipenko.

Vidit Gujrathi easily held Anish Giri to a 33-move draw before being joined in the lead by the victorious duo of
Richard Rapport and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov after five rounds of the Masters section of Tata Steel chess tournament on Thursday.

Vidit, Rapport and Mamedyarov have 3.5 points and enjoy a half-point lead over Magnus Carlsen and Andrey Esipenko.

Rapport defeated R. Praggnanandhaa (2) in a wild game lasting 56 moves while Mamedyarov nailed defending champion Jorden van Foreest.

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In the Challengers’ section, top seed Arjun Erigaisi (4.5 points) scored his fourth successive victory at the expense of Russia’s rising talent Volodar Murzin in 71 moves. Arjun now has a one-point lead over Surya Shekhar Ganguly and two others.

Fifth round (Indians unless stated):

Masters: Anish Giri (Ned, 2) drew with Vidit Gujrathi (3.5); Richard Rapport (Hun, 3.5) bt R. Praggnanandhaa (2); Jorden van Foreest (Ned, 2.5) lost to Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Aze, 3.5); Andrey Esipenko (Rus, 3) drew with Fabiano Caruana (USA, 2.5); Nils Grandelius (Swe, 1) drew with Magnus Carlsen (Nor, 3); Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Pol, 2.5) drew with Sergey Karjakin (Rus, 2); Daniil Dubov (Rus, 2) drew with Sam Shankland (USA, 2).

Challengers (involving Indians): Arjun Erigaisi (4.5) bt Volodar Murzin (Rus, 3); Surya Shekhar Ganguly (3.5) bt Roven Vogel (Ger, 1.5).